Spring-motor.



PATENTED JULY 7, 1903..

I. R. OLIVERL SPRING MOTOR.

I APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1903.

.2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

No. 732,7?2. PATENTBD JULY 7, 1903..

I. R. OLIVER.

SPRING MOTOR.

, APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1903. m1 ummn. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Hill-=2 THE NDRRIS PETERS o0. PHOTO-LUNG" WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES- iatented July '7, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

SPRING-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,777, dated July 7,1903,

Application filed February 20, 1903. Serial No. 144,264- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES ROBERT OLIVER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Decatur, in the county of Morgan and State ofAlabama, have invented a new and useful Spring-Motor forSewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to spring-motors designed especially forsewing-machines, but susceptible of use with any form of machinery whichmay be operated in a substantially similar manner.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofmotors of the class described by providing a very simple and inexpensiveform of apparatus in which the number of parts is reduced to a minimum.

and the probability of wear diminished.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring-motor adaptedto be secured to the supporting-frame of the sewing-machine instead ofto the table thereof, so adapting the motor to sewing-machines of thedrophead type.

A further object of the invention is to make it possible to wind themotor without stopping the machine and to make the control of the speedmore convenient and'positive in character than in any previous forms ofmotor.

and novel arrangement and combination of partsof a spring-motor.hereinafter fully de-.

scribed,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in theclaims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the sewing-machinewith the improved form of spring-motor attached thereto, the,

casing of the motor being removed to disclose the, construction of themotor more clearly.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the machine with the motor attached. Fig.3 is a vertical transverse section through the main shaft of the Theinvention consists in the construction ism for controlling the directionof rotation of the main shaft of the motor.

In all the figures corresponding parts are designated by the samecharacters of reference throughout.

1 indicates a main driving-wheel consisting of a bevel-gear mounted on ahorizontal shaft 2, which is arranged transversely of the sewing-machineframe and is supported in bearings provided on the members of saidframe.

3 is a flat spring coiled upon the shaft 2 and having one end fastenedthereto from which power is transmitted to the 'main drivingwheel 1. Theouter end of the spring 3 is fastened to a suitable lug or pin 4,provided on the rim of the main driving-wheel 1 and projecting at rightangles to its plane of rotation.

5 is a band-Wheel of the ordinary type for driving the machine and issupported upon a short shaft 6, mounted on the frame of the machine.-Rigidly secured to the band-wheel 5 and adapted to rotate therewith onits shaft is a small bevel-gear '7, which is in mesh with the bevel-gearteeth on the main drivingwheel 1. By means of the bevel-gear 7 and thebevel-gear on the main driving-wheel 1 motion is imparted to theband-wheel for driving the machine,and the driving of the machine isaccomplished by means of the band 8, of usual form, which runs over theband wheel and a pulleyon the end of the main shaft of the machineproper. At the rear end of the shaft 2 is rigidly mounted thereon alarge sprocket 11, and between the sprocket and themain driving-wheel aratchet 12 is rigidly secured to the shaft and adapted to engage with aspring-pressed pawl 13, mounted on the frame of the machine. At theright-.

hand side of the machine as'viewed from the front a shaft 14, providedat its forward end with a crank .15 and at its rear end with a smallsprocket 16, is supported in hearings on the machine-frame at aconvenient height to be operated by the user of the machine while themachine is in operation. Running over the large sprocket 11 and thesmall sprocket 16 is a chain 17iof suitable form. 7

By means of the mechanism above described power may be imparted to themachine as follows: By turning the crank to the right the main shaft 2is rotated through the chain and sprocket connections with the 5 shaft14, and the spring 3 is wound up. As soon as the tension of the spring 3becomes sufficiently strong the main driving-wheel 1 is set in motion,and by means of its bevelgear connection with the band-wheel 5 motion isimparted to the band-wheel and from it to the machine proper.

In the foregoing description of the construction of my improvedspring-motor for sewingmachines no reference has been made to thecontrolling mechanism whereby the motor is started, stopped, and itsspeed regulated. The preferred form of controlling mechanism is thatillustrated in the drawings and comprising a pivoted arm 20, providedwith a brake-roll 21, rotatably mounted on an aXle 22 and held inengagement with the bandwheel 5 by means of a spiral spring supported ona bracket just below the pivoted arm. The means for removing the brakefrom the band-wheel consists of a pivoted foot-plate 23, connected withthe brake-arm by means of a link 19.

-It will be readily understood on an inspection of the drawings thatwhen no pressure is applied to the foot-plate 23 the brake'roll 22 ispressed against the band-wheel 5 with sufficient force to prevent anyrotation being imparted thereto by means of the drivingspring of themotor, and when it is desired to set the motor in operation it is onlynecessary to remove the brake-roll from the bandwheel by pressingdownward upon the footplate 23, which is so situated that it may beconveniently operated by the user of the machine without anymaterialchange of position.

The special advantages of a brake mechanism of this character ascontrolling means for a sewing-machine motor are that while the band-wheel may always be stopped or started as quickly as may be desired andits speed kept completely under control the motion of the wheel willnever be stopped so suddenly as to break the sewing-machine needle or totear the fabric as it passes between the reciprocating feed-plate andthe presser-foot of the machine.

In order to protect the working parts of the motor from dust and to keeptheir oiled surfaces from injuring fabrics accidentally brought incontact therewith, I provide on the back of the main driving-wheel 1 acasing of sheet metal which entirely covers the spring on its rear side,and secured at the front and back of the motor are removable shields ofthe form shown. The shields and casing for the spring may be fastenedinto position in any suitable manner; but it is preferable to fastenthem to the frame members rather than to the machine-table and to usebolts or other fastening devices which may be readily disengaged tofacilitate the removal of the shields and easing should it becomenecessary to adjust or clean the motor mechanism.

It will be readily understood from the foregoing description of theconstruction and arrangement of the parts of my spring-motor that onlyone hand is required to keep the motor wound and that the winding isnecessary at intervals of considerable length only, thus leaving onehand always free to control the feed of the fabric to the sewing-machineand during the most of the time permitting the use of two hands forfeeding the fabric. It will also be understood that the winding can bedone without checking the movement of the machine, because the maindrive-wheel 1 is freely rotatable upon its shaft 2 and is subject toaforward impulse from the spring just-as long as the spring is under anytension. Owing to the convenient location of the controlling-brake andits operating mechanism, the speed of the machine is always easilycontrolled by means of the foot. By using the sprocket-and-chainconnection between the winding-shaft 15 and the main driving-shaft 2instead of the train of gears employed in my former atent, No. 657,318,Iobtain a winding mechanism of very durable and inexpensive form, whichis more satisfactory in operation.

Having now fully described the construction and operation of my improvedspring motor for sewing-machines, what I claim as my invention, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a machine-frame of a spring-motor havinga maindriving-shaft arranged horizontally and transversely of themachineframe, a main driving-wheel loosely mounted on said shaft andhaving bevel-teeth at its periphery, a band-wheel rotatably mounted on ashaft supported upon the frame and disposed at right angles to the maindriving-shaft of the motor, said bandwheel having bevel-teeth providedon its hub to mesh with bevel-teeth on the main drivingwheel, abelt-receiving groove on its periphery and a flange projecting laterallyfrom its periphery, a brake comprising a pivoted arm and a brakingmember mounted on the main frame and held normally in engagement withsaid flange, a driving-spring coiled on the main driving-shaft andhaving one end secured to said shaft and one end secured to said maindriving-wheel, a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism for controlling thedirection of rotation of said main shaft,and winding mech anism for saidmain shaft.

2. The combination with a machine-frame of a band-wheel rotatablymounted on a shaft supported on said frame and having a flangeprojecting laterally from one face thereof, a springmotor directlyconnected with said band-wheel, a brake mechanism for control- I and alink connecting said foot-plate and said IO ling the movements of saidband-Wheel, said arm. brake mechanism comprising a pivoted arm Intestimony that I claim the foregoing as mounted on said main framebeneath the my own I have hereto affixed my signature in 5 bandwheel, abracket beneath said brakethe presence of two witnesses.

arm, a spring on said bracket engaging said JAMES ROBERT OLIVER. arm, aroller carried by said arm and held Witnesses: normally in engagementwith said flange, a JOHN A. THOMASON,

pivoted foot-plate at the bottom ofsaid flange, A. B. LAMPKIN.

